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Film festival to debut Oct. 15

October 4, 2013

Film festival to debut Oct. 15

UNIONTOWN, Pa. – The 11th annual film festival at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, will begin Tuesday, Oct. 15, with screenings continuing throughout the month. Each film is free, open to the public and will take place in the campus’ Williams Building beginning at 6 p.m.

This season, an eclectic group of films has been selected and will be hosted by Penn State faculty and staff. Films being featured at this year’s film festival include:

Oct. 15 — “Kwaidan” (1964) Four Japanese ghost stories that are equal parts haunting, creepy and unsettling. Originally from a collection of Japanese folk stories, Kwaidan is part of the prestigious Criterion Film Collection. Host: Donald Liddick.

Oct. 17 — “The Red Balloon” (1956) Showing in conjunction with Fayette Family Fun Night, a campus tradition of petting zoo, games, food, and arts and crafts. Family-friendly and back by popular demand, this film tells the story of a magical balloon that seems to follow a little boy throughout Paris. As an extra treat, it will be preceded with a selection of rare classic Hollywood cartoons from the 1930s and 1940s.

Oct. 22 — “Iron-jawed Angels” (2004) An award-winning film about Alice Paul and the rise of the 1917 American suffrage movement. Starring Hilary Swank and Julia Ormand, this film depicts a pivotal but often overlooked moment in the history of women’s rights in America. Host: Professor Julie Porterfield.

Oct. 24 — “Vertigo” (1958) This film of obsession, phobias, voyeurism and mystery stars James Stewart and Kim Novak and is directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Host Mike Comiskey has traveled to many of the San Francisco locations where it was shot and is something of an expert on this mesmerizing film.

Oct. 29 — “Island of Lost Souls” (1932) To kick off Halloween week, this tale of a mad scientist who conducts gruesome experiments on a remote island is a classic tale of horror. Starring Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi, the story has been re-made many times but never so well as this original. Host: Fred Adams.

Oct. 31— “Village of the Damned” (1960) A creepy gem from the heyday of smart British science fiction depicts an entire rural town that suddenly stop for one hour. Nine months later, women in the village give birth to odd-looking genius children. What better way to spend Halloween night than with a chilling horror movie? Host: Professor John Riddle.